POOR communication is the reason a phone company will be allowed to place a 60ft monopole next to an ancient church.

Clwyd West MP David Jones is calling for an investigation into a mix-up that allowed Hutchison 3G UK to be given free reign to erect the 15m monopole, as well as 13.3m antennae and ground-based equipment, next to St Trillo’s Church on Llandudno Road, Rhos-on-Sea.

3G gave the council 56 days to oppose the application and sent registered letters to the four Rhos county councillors, but received no reply.

On seeing the Weekly News story, the council brought the matter up in a planning meeting earlier this month, but Mr Jones says they are too late.

He is also concerned the situation is identical to a phone mast application in Kinmel Bay last year.

“I was very concerned to read in the Weekly News that the development is to proceed because the authority failed to deal with the application for consent within the prescribed time,” he said.

“And the planning department will recall that in October last year I corresponded with their office with regard to what seems to be a very similar incident in Kinmel Bay.

“Given that the council has failed on a previous occasion to deal with the prescribed time limits in respect of a similar application, I’d have thought it would have been far more careful in dealing with future applications.”

Conwy’s planning department has now taken action and sent a letter to Hutchison’s, accusing the company of not responding to telecommunications nor indicating the stance it was going to take.

3G’s corporate affairs manager Verity Blake says this is ridiculous as they were made aware of the application in January, and Rhos town councillor Roger Parry finds their response laughable.

“How can the council be so confused when they recently turned down three previous applications for a mast at three separate locations in Rhos from the same company – Hutchison’s,” said Cllr Parry.